Speeding Car Runs Red Light, Leaves One Dead in Florida

An Orlando area man faces a laundry list of charges following an accident that left one dead. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, an FHP trooper was conducting a standard speed enforcement check on Interstate 75 when he clocked a Nissan Altima driven by a 23-year-old male from Plant City, Florida traveling at a speed of 92 miles per hour.

Turning on his lights, the trooper then went in pursuit of the vehicle. As the Nissan did not immediately pull over, the trooper attempted to overtake the speeding vehicle. However, the Nissan abruptly exited the interstate at State Road 44, sped through a red light and slamming into an oncoming Toyota Camry. The Camry was driven by a 61-year-old female from Homosassa Springs, Florida.

The collision sent both cars spinning, eventually coming to a rest on the shoulder of the intersection. The driver of Nissan got out of his car and attempted to run away before being chased and caught by a trooper. The driver of the Camry, however, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. Three passengers traveling in the Nissan suffered minor injuries.

FHP arrested the 23-year-old driver and charged him a number of crimes, including:

• DUI manslaughter
• Vehicular homicide
• Driving while license suspended involving death
• Leaving the scene of a crash involving a death
• Resisting an officer with violence

In addition to these criminal charges, the driver will also likely face a civil lawsuit from the surviving family members of the deceased. This is because speeding and driving while intoxicated are considered negligent acts. According to the law, when one is injured by the negligent acts of another, then the victim has a right to be compensated for their injuries. In the case at hand, because the injured party was killed, the surviving family members may be able to file what is known as a wrongful death lawsuit. This action allows family members who were dependent on the deceased for financial and emotional support to be compensated for their loss.

If you or a loved one have been injured in an Orlando motor vehicle accident, you have the right to be compensated. To learn more, contact James O. Cunningham today.

James O. Cunningham

Since 1977, personal injury lawyer James Cunningham has provided effective legal advocacy to people who are injured through the negligent actions of another person or entity throughout the Central Florida area. He fights to obtain recoveries for his clients’ physical and emotional pain and suffering and pursues his clients’ personal injury cases with a commitment to excellence and impeccable preparation.